SEOUL, 6th December, 2025 (WAM) -- Chairman of SK Group Chey Tae-won said that South Korea needs to invest 1,400 trillion won (US$953 billion) in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in the next seven years in order for the country to stay competitive in the field.
Chey made the remark during an AI-themed conference co-hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), a major South Korean business lobby where he serves as the head, and the Bank of Korea (BOK).
During the event, Chey and BOK Governor Rhee Chang-yong discussed strategies for building an ecosystem that promotes corporate growth in an environment fueled by the adoption of AI.
They also discussed the possibility of an AI bubble and how companies should respond to related risks.
"If South Korea wishes to fully engage in the global AI competition, it needs to establish AI data centres with a combined capacity of 20 gigawatts," Chey said as quoted by Yonhap, noting it takes around 70 trillion won to build a 1 gigawatt facility.
The SK chief added AI infrastructure plays a crucial role in attracting global talent and data.
"To bring resources from outside, we need to build more attractive companies than other countries," Chey said. "We need to create a separate market for AI startups and foster tens of thousands of them to win the current AI race."
